Hello and thank you for visiting my Pledge Just Two Pounds for RP virtual collecting tin. My request is simple and involves Just Two small actions on your behalf: 1) Donate Just Two Pounds for RP, and 2) Tell Just Two People about this so they can do the same. Obviously I would welcome more than Just Two Pounds for RP and for you to tell more than Just Two People but this is my requested starting point.

Why? I have Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), the largest cause of blindness in the working age population, and want to continue helping to fund research until a treatment and cure is found.

Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is the name given to a group of inherited diseases of the retina that lead to a gradual progressive reduction in vision. Difficulties with night vision and peripheral vision are the first things that are noticed. Later, reading vision (detailed vision) and colour vision are affected. The age at which symptoms start is variable and may vary with the different genetic types. The rate at which vision deteriorates is variable but is, thankfully, generally very slow with changes occurring over years rather than months. In approximately half of all cases (50 to 60%) there are other family members with RP. There are three main inheritance patterns, autosomal recessive, autosomal dominant and X-linked inheritance, depending on the genetic cause. RP affects approximately 1 in 3,000 to 4,000 people. I have about 5 degrees of useful central vision and patchy bits of distracting peripheral vision remaining.

The BRPS was founded in 1975 by an amazing lady by the name of Lynda Cantor and a number of other people with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). The group was concerned at the lack of knowledge about RP in the medical profession, and the lack of support for people with RP, and decided to do something about it.

Over the years BRPS has evolved into a respected medical research charity and a nationwide organisation supporting some 2,700 members and 'friends'. We are grounded in our volunteer roots - a self help group which seeks to help its members live with and overcome RP related problems, and to bring relief by stimulating and funding research into the causes of and the development of treatments for the disease.

So this is my cause and, with your help of Just Two Pounds for RP, we will get closer to a treatment and cure for Retinitis Pigmentosa.

THANK YOU!!!